10-Year Effort to Plant and Care for One Million New Trees Part of PlaNYC, the Long-Term Vision to Create a Greener, Greater City

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York
Restoration Project (NYRP) Founder Bette Midler today celebrated the two-year
anniversary of MillionTreesNYC by planting Tree Number 250,000, a Southern
Magnolia (Magnolia gradiflora) at the home of Sharon and Thomas Stoney in St.
Albans, Queens. The Mayor and Ms. Midler also announced the new "Put Down Roots"
pilot program encouraging New York City homeowners to plant trees in their front
and backyards. As part of NYC Service, launched by Mayor Bloomberg to answer
President Obama's national call to service, volunteers will knock on doors and
inform private homeowners about the benefits of planting trees on their
property, as well as to help them obtain free trees to plant. MillionTreesNYC is
a public-private partnership between the City of New York and New York
Restoration Project (NYRP). At the event, Mayor Bloomberg and Bette Midler were
joined by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, NYRP Executive Director Drew Becher,
Chief Service Officer Diahann Billings-Burford, the Stoney family, and NYC
Service volunteers.

"In every area of government, we not only
set ambitious goals - we work to meet them ahead of schedule," said Mayor
Bloomberg. "We still have a long way to go to reach the million tree mark,
but the amount of progress we've made says a lot about how New Yorkers have
embraced this project. With the help of NYC Service volunteers and the 'Put Down
Roots' pilot program, it's easier than ever for homeowners to learn about how to
plant trees and obtain free trees for planting. By planting trees in your
own front and backyards, you can help green your neighborhood and create cleaner
air and cooler streets, which will improve the health of all New
Yorkers."

"I'm overwhelmed that we are planting our
250,000th tree," said Bette Midler, Founder, New York Restoration Project.
"It just proves once again that New Yorkers are the strongest, toughest and most
caring people in the world."

"Planting and caring for trees is a great
way for New Yorkers to use their 'blank for good,' and we're so glad to partner
with MillionTreesNYC to take this important initiative to the next level," said
Chief Service Officer Diahann Billings-Burford. "NYC Service is recruiting
volunteers to help Put Down Roots, whether that's knocking on doors to educate
homeowners on the benefits of planting a tree or teaching homeowners and
community members on how to care for their trees after planting."

"Put Down Roots" Pilot Program Begins in
St. Albans on October 10th

To build on the two-year success of
MillionTreesNYC, this fall all New York City homeowners are encouraged to plant
trees in their front and backyards. On Saturday, October 10, through the "Put
Down Roots" pilot program, trained NYC Service volunteers will canvas homeowners
within a 16-block radius in St. Albans to raise awareness of the campaign and
offer free trees to homeowners to plant. They will also highlight
the benefits of trees, encourage them to plant, register and care for trees for
the benefit of their community. Residents who are interested in planting a
tree in their yards will receive trees on November 7th at a community tree
giveaway in Daniel M. O'Connell Playground. NYC Service volunteers will be
on site to provide tips on tree planting and to assist in the transportation of
the tree to the homeowner's property. This program is a new approach
to engage New York City homeowners to contribute to greening entire
communities. All New Yorkers will share in the many benefits that come
from planting trees in their yards - more beautiful neighborhoods; cleaner air
and water; higher property values; energy savings; cooler summer streets; and a
healthier, more environmentally sustainable city.

"MillionTreesNYC seeks to expand on its
initial success - of mobilizing thousands of New Yorkers to plant and care for
250,000 young trees on streets, in parks, and in natural areas - by encouraging
New York City homeowners to plant trees in their front and backyards," said New
York City Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Trees are
assets to communities, and by putting down roots in their yards, homeowners can
improve their neighborhoods by cleaning the air, lowering summer air
temperatures, improving air quality, and slowing climate change."

NYC Service was launched by Mayor Bloomberg
in April and has three core goals: channel the power of volunteers to address
the impacts of the current economic downturn, make New York City the easiest
city in America in which to serve, and ensure every young person in New York
City is taught about civic engagement and has an opportunity to serve. New
Yorkers can find opportunities to serve their communities by visiting www.nyc.gov or by calling 311.

Fall 2009 Tree Giveaways

Homeowners participating in the "Put Down
Roots" pilot program are encouraged to pick up free trees to plant in their
private yards at the Fall 2009 Tree Giveaways, hosted by non-profit and
community organizations citywide. Free trees will be available for adoption at
select locations throughout the City this fall planting season. At each tree
giveaway event, information will be available to teach New Yorkers how to plant
and care for the tree. For distribution dates and locations, visit www.nyc.gov or the official MillionTreesNYC
website.

Through a mix of public and private
plantings for MillionTreesNYC, the City of New York, New York Restoration
Project, community partners and citizen volunteers are planting in places such
as schoolyards and playgrounds, public housing campuses, health care facilities,
business districts, commercial and residential developments, front yards and
other private lands. On MillionTreesNYC Fall Volunteer Planting Day on
October 24th, thousands of volunteers will plant 20,000 trees at 15 parks and
public spaces across the five boroughs.

MillionTreesNYC Stewardship
Corps

Young trees face many natural and man-made
threats from the urban environment and require ongoing maintenance to
survive. After planting trees, New Yorkers can take care of trees through
the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps, which aims to engage thousands of
volunteer New Yorkers who want to keep young newly planted trees healthy and
growing. In addition to volunteer tree care events, the Stewardship Corps
offers participants the opportunity to take a free tree care workshop, receive
free tree care tools, and adopt a street tree online. The MillionTreesNYC
Stewardship Corps is supported by private donations made to the Mayor's Fund to
Advance New York City.

MillionTreesNYC is a 10-year initiative to
plant and care for one million new trees throughout the City's five boroughs and
part of Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC, a long-term vision to create a greener,
greater city. Two-thirds of PlaNYC's 127 initiatives are either completed,
on-time, or ahead of schedule. MillionTreesNYC will ultimately expand the City's
urban forest by 20 percent, provide New Yorkers important health, economic and
environmental benefits, and create a more sustainable urban environment.
Since its launch in October 2007, public, private and non-profit organizations
have rallied over 6,000 citizen volunteers to plant trees in what has become an
unprecedented tree planting campaign and citywide environmental movement.
To learn more about MillionTreesNYC, visit www.nyc.gov or call 311.